Frequently Asked Questions

What is iWebPress?

iWebPress is an online content management system specifically designed for newspapers, magazines, and other news-related publications.  iWebPress combines staff and assignment management with template-based instantaneous web publication. iWebPress Education Edition was launched officially on February 1, 2005. Currently, iWebPress is hosting a pilot program for iWebPress Professional Edition with select newspapers and magazines across the country.

What are the requirements for iWebPress?

iWebPress works in your internet web browser, so you do not need to install any software to utilize it.  With our A.S.P. (Application Service Provider) solutions, you don’t have to manage any technology: just your newspaper.  Best of all, you can expect to pay about 40% of what it would cost to manage a server infrastructure.  Of course, if you must host iWebPress onsite, you can purchase it for installation.  See the product pages for more details.

How will iWebPress help keep me organized?

iWebPress industry leading organizational features are unmatched by any other content manager in the world.   The system can send reminders to staff members to turn assignments in on time automatically via email or printed reports that can be put in mailboxes. Editors can track assignments, and, at a glance see instantly what is overdue, uncompleted, or turned-down by a staff member.  Add assignments quickly, and find free staff whose interests fit the assignment.  Search through writer history quickly.  Allow editors to edit stories from anywhere, and track the edits.  iWebPress provides many organizational features for your paper.  For more information, feel free to contact our sales department via contact us.

Can iWebPress help with my printed layout?

Yes. iWebPress has powerful XML features that can import directly into Adobe Pagemaker and Indesign, and QuarkXpress.  iWebPress can dramatically speed up the layout of the print edition.  For use with other applications, iWebPress includes buttons to instantly copy/paste articles to other applications, or print them for review.

Do I need any programming skills to publish my paper to the web?

No, knowledge of programming and/or HTML is not necessary to publish your newspaper online.  To customize your website, you can use the built-in WYSIYG editor.  However, if you wish to completely customize the template/look of your website, we can work with you to do so, or through your own HTML/CSS knowledge.  iWebPress creates the solution that fits your needs.

How hard is iWebPress to use? Will staff require training?

iWebPress was designed specifically for publishing in a newspaper and education environment.  It is the only solution that has been designed for use in K/12 and College/University newspapers, and is extremely intuitive to learn and use.  Of course, extensive documentation, as well as technical support is available to answer any of your questions.

Does the staff have to be in the newspaper office to publish and work on the paper?

No.  iWebPress works over the internet, so your staff can work from anywhere in the world equipped with an internet connection.  Adding content to iWebPress is as easy as copying and pasting stories into your web browser.  Since every staff member gets his or her own login to the site, the burden to sort through and organize tons of stories is lifted off the Editors.

What about permissions?  How do you control who has access to what?

There are several levels of permissions available from staff, who can only contribute stories assigned to them by an editor, to varying levels of editor, to staff advisor.  You control who gets access to what part of your paper.

How long will it take to get my newspaper online?

After contacting our sales team, we could have you online in a matter of days.  Depending on your level of customization, it could take longer to fully fit iWebPress to suit your needs.

What kind of customization is possible?

The entire look and feel of your website can be changed by anyone with HTML/CSS and programming knowledge.  Of course, since we are an A.S.P., we have enterprise-level web developers on staff to design your website to look exactly how you want it.

If we decide to go with iWebPress A.S.P Solutions, where would the newspaper be hosted?

iWebPress hosts your newspaper in our secure, redundant datacenters.  We use genuine Sun Microsystems computers and redundant Cisco networking hardware.  Our datacenters are connected directly on to the Tier-1 backbone of the Internet via multiple Gigabit to DS3 Ethernet connections through Level 3 Communications, XO, Global Crossing, Aleron, and Cogenet.

How secure is iWebPress?

iWebPress itself is hosted on some of the most secure, Unix-based servers in the world.  The application uses military-grade encryption to store passwords in its database, as well as SSL encryption (if requested) to serve your data.  Additionally, your data is backed up off-site to our disaster recovery center nightly via an encrypted channel.

Can my newspaper have its own domain name?

Absolutely. If you have one already, we can continue to host it for you.  If not, we will register a domain name for you. iWebPress solutions will manage every aspect of your newspaper technology.